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When the rest of the country celebrates the festival as Makar Sankranti, for the state of Andhra Pradesh, it is Pedda Panduga or Big Festival. Justifying its name, the celebrations take a grand scale and span over three days, sometimes for one additional day. As the locals refer to this festival, Sankranthi is a time for celebrating the good harvest and honouring the Sun God, cattle and mother nature. It is also a period of uniting with family members and observing native villages. Thus, the state's agrarian pockets turn into the epicentres of revelries. The rural kitchens remain busy throughout the entire period. As the city-dwellers visit their villages, many rustic delicacies, which otherwise are relegated to an obscure corner, bask in the glory during this merriment. One of them is Kobbari Muvva. It is a one-of-its-kind food item, primarily indigenous to the coastal zones of the state, such as the East Godavari and Krishna districts of AP.
During conversations with the residents of Vizag, with ancestral roots in these coastal regions, I was introduced to a rare delicacy of Kobbari Muvva or coconut pith.
What is Kobbari Muvva?
The heart of the tree, or kobbari muvva, is a coconut pith. The upper trunk of the coconut tree contains this portion. Given that it can only be removed by cutting the tree, it is considered the most valuable edible item. Slices of coconut pith for sale have long been a familiar sight in rural regions. The adept sellers cut the tender top part of the coconut trunk into thin slices, and they are sold at a meagre price, at times even for INR 10. Kobbari Muvva has a sweet and piquant, slightly tangy taste. One can devour it as raw slices or can prepare curries too.
A man slicing coconut pith, Image Source: Phani@YouTube
"I look forward to Sankranthi every year when I can go to Vadapalem, our native village in East Godavari and relish kobbari muvva. This region is rich in coconut tree population, and the rural areas are the best place to devour it fresh," shares Aditya Muppidi from Vizag.
What makes it rare
Coconut pith is somehow restricted to the countryside and is not easily obtainable in cities. With the rapid urbanisation, however, at times when coconut trees are cut, a few coconuts farmers adept at extracting kobbari muvva sell them to the urbanites. But it can be challenging to spot them.
A man selling coconut pith, Image Source: hometown_flavors_rjy@Instagram
Lalitha Rao, who hails from Krishna district, shares that it's about more than just their availability in rural or urban areas. But the taste also slightly differs. The ones sold in villages or remote corners of the coastal regions have a refreshing taste. "Those who haven't had it yet must try during their annual village visit on Sankranthi. It is a beautiful way to connect with various flavours of nature, and isn't that what the harvest festival celebrates at large?
